chinarider

I'd start them a little lighter than you've been squatting. Just for the 1st couple of times to get used to them, them start increasing the weight. You should end up heavier than you've been squatting. As someone else said, deadlifting can be very taxing, so do less reps & sets. I would do both squats & deads.

I live in a cold climate & have my own periodization schedule. Since I can't ride half the year, that's when I concentrate on lifting (I also downhill ski, do an elliptical trainer & row during the winter). In the spring, I transition, then when I start biking 4-5 days a week, I pretty much stop lifting till fall. This winter I went heavier on the weights than I usually do with fewer reps. On my heaviest workout I do 6 sets of 3 reps squats and 2 sets of 3 rep deads (as well as other exercises). I got up to 205 & 215 respectively (I weigh from 140 to 150 depending on season). I think the heavy work has really helped the cycling as I feel much stronger than I did at this point last year, especially on standing while climbing hills.

Since I assume you can bike all year where you are, you kind of have to work out your own mix. I would say you can't really do both well at the same time. You have to pick what you want to emphasize and let the other activity supplement the primary one. I would add that the value of recovery can't be overestimated. Your muscles don't grow when you lift weights; they grow while you recover from lifting weights.

For anyone who wants to really learn about building strength with weights (as opposed to body building) I strongly recommend Starting Strength and Programming-Strength-Training. Great books. I have many other weightlifting books, including Arnold's Encyclopedia of BodyBuilding, and learned more from these than the others combined.

Dan